How it should have gone
by RichardShaft
Summary: No mother would ever choose for their daughter to be with a vampire. This is a more realistic scene for when Joyce came to visit Angel during the Prom episode. Thinking of making this a series of stand alones.


I have to confess that it always confused me that Joyce would be so open and accepting once she found out that her teenage daughter was dating a 200 year old vampire. I think had Buffy lived in the real world Joyce would have had an entirely different reaction to Angel. This is my alternative to when Joyce came to visit Angel to talk to her about the relationship with her daughter.

Angel was picking up his place when he saw Buffy's notebook from one of her classes. On the cover of the notebook Buffy had doodled a big heart and in the middle of the heart was Buffy and Angel 4 –Ever. Angel sighed picking it up and started to think when there was a sudden knock at the door.

Angel opened the door avoiding the sunlight as Joyce stepped in. "Ms Summers"

"Hello Angel. We need to talk."

"Is this about last night? When Buffy and I finished with patrol it was late and we just thought it would be easier if she just stayed here."

"This is about a lot of things." She had a look on her face that didn't speak of happiness.

"Something bothering you?"

"What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"I'm not sure I understand your question. Have I done something that has angered you?"

"Are you really so wrapped up in your own world that you can't see what you are doing? Maybe it's just the fact that it's all about what you want."

"You are mad cause Buffy didn't come home last night."

"Oh we are going to get there but let's start from the beginning. I have held my tongue long enough but I can't do it anymore. My daughter is young and doesn't know better but you. What is your excuse?"

"Joyce your daughter isn't stupid she has dealt with life and death choices on a daily basis. I"

"What ? What can you say to make it alright?"

"I don't understand where this is coming from. I thought you were okay with Buffy and I."

"No you didn't. How could you think that? You wanted to think that because if you took time and thought about what I really wanted for my daughter it meant you would have give her up." Joyce paced angry trying to form her words and thoughts clear.

She had so much raw emotion she wanted to grab him and throttle him but she wanted to come off as clear and concise. She wanted to hit him with the facts.

"How could you ever think I would be okay with my 17 year old daughter dating someone your age."

"Joyce it's not like."

"That's not even the worst part. You have been with her since she was what 15."

"Joyce Buffy isn't like normal."

"Don't lay that Slayer crap on me. Abusers will always find a way to justify what they are doing is right. If Buffy came to you and told you she wanted to get drunk off her ass would you buy her the booze cause she's a slayer."

"Of course not Joyce but."

"You don't get to speak right now. You are going to listen. You are going to hear what I say. I want you to put yourself in my shoes. Here is what I know of you." Joyce stepped up getting in his face.

"You have tried to kill my daughter. You have tried to kill her friends. You did kill her teacher."

"Joyce that wasn't me. That was Angelus. You don't have to remind what I've done. Every time I close my eyes I see the faces of all the lives I have taken. I see Jenny Callendars face. It haunts me."

"Maybe it haunts you because it should." Joyce angry shook her head. "You think I am worried about you dating my daughter? I worry about her being near you much less dating her. If my daughter told me she wanted to date Hitler do you think I'd ever be okay with it."

"So now I'm Hitler?"

"I think you are selfish. You use love to justify what you are doing. Love makes it okay that my daughter can't have a family someday. Love makes it okay that she'll live her life in the dark. Love makes it okay that she'll be living her life in a hidden relationship. It's okay though cause lets face it all of those sacrifices are hers to make."

"You think I haven't thought of this. You come here and say these things but its not like I don't know them."

"Yet here we are. You are taking my daughter to prom. She should be going with someone her age."

"Joyce you are Buffy's mom and we need to get along."

"I love my daughter. I love her more then you know. I would lay my life down for her."

"As would I."

"Oh you might be willing to die for Buffy but the question I want to know is would you let her live." Angel opened his mouth ready to say something to her but stopped.

Joyce sighed and shook her head. "I don't want Buffy staying here for over nights anymore. Till she is 18 slayer or not I still have the right to make that call. ." Her heals clicked on the floor as she walked towards the door. She put her hand on the door knob ready to leave. She faced the door.

She didn't want to look at Angel anymore. She just talked. "You can go to Buffy. You can make me the bad guy here. Buffy will probably be angry with me. You can use our conversation to your advantage. If you love her way you say you do. You'll let her go."

With that Joyce opened the door and walked out. She had been holding all of it in for quite a while and saying those things to Angel made her feel like a weight had been lifted. Maybe her words wouldn't mean anything. If Angel continued to be in Buffy's life she would be polite. She would be cordial. She would take satisfaction in the fact that he would always know.

Angel angry walked to the door slamming it shut. He paced the house thinking. He had a blind rage inside of him after what Joyce said. He walked in to the dining room and flipped over the table screaming.

He invited Joyce in to his home and how dare she talk to him like that. Buffy and him were meant to be together and she wanted to question him. Through all his anger though there was one thing she said that stuck in his head. "Your willing to die for her. Are you willing to let her live?"


End file.
